Weekly Snap

A cold and rainy day here in SoCal.  Reminds me of a recent trip to the countryside for cider and hiking.  Happy Friday!

Julian, CA

Scott Kuhnly

Scott Kuhnly, Painter

February 2012

Weekly Snaps

All the images today are from Santa Barbara, CA

Armando

A couple weeks ago I posted images from the fashion district in LA (here).  I was on a mission to find fabric for a reupholstery project I've recently committed to finishing.  Today I wanted to share another portrait that has stemmed from said undertaking.  This is Armando, master of sewing machine parts and repair.  While waiting at the counter, curiosity got the best of me and I asked him if I could have a look around.  I followed his gesture toward a doorway labeled with a yellowed piece of paper and the words "Employees Only" scribbled across it.  While keeping a customer on hold, he was kind enough to oblige me and pose for a shot in the shop's storeroom.

Coast Sewing & Vacuum Center

Escondido, CA

Weekly Snaps

Handlebar Coffee Roasters, Santa Barbara

 Downtown Los Angeles

Miracle Mile/Beverly Hills, Los Angeles

Nate

Photographing strangers I come across day-to-day is always challenging.  In order to do it well, the key is finding a way to instantly establish some sort of trust with the subject.  The amount of trust you gain is generally directly proportionate to the amount of time and freedom you have in making that image.

This portrait was taken in LA somewhere on La Brea Blvd.  I was walking to lunch with a friend and noticed Nate, dressed in all white, standing in front of this giant, colorful mural.  It almost looked like he had just finished painting the piece himself.  We passed by, and I smiled.  Unable to resist, I whirled around and went back.  At first he refused when I asked to photograph him, as the artwork was from an album that he "wasn't too fond of " (in so many words).  It took some convincing, but my persistence paid off.

Weekly Snaps

I suppose I've finally joined the DIY "revolution" with my latest project--reupholstering an old arm chair.  In doing so, I found a valid excuse to visit one of my favorite places to photograph in SoCal: the Fashion District in downtown LA.  Here are a few portraits of friends I made while searching for the perfect fabric.

A West Coast Winter

Apparently it's cold throughout most of the country right now.  I forget: I live in paradise.  Over the phone this morning, one of my East Coast-based vendors described--bitterly--the many layers he's forced to wear in his shop this time of year.  I didn't have the heart to tell him it was in the seventies here in Southern California.  

A month or so ago (technically still winter), I took a little road trip with some friends up the coast to Santa Barbara, where we witnessed one of the most glorious sunsets ever--couldn't help but share.

Now that Europe posts are done, I will start sharing the new images that have piled up these last couple of months.  Happy New Year all!